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Red Sox lefthanded reliever Rich Hill has a strained flexor muscle, an injury that will not require surgery but will cause him at miss at least a month, according to manager Bobby Valentine.

Dr. James Andrew examined Hill today. The Sox feared that Hill had injured a ligament, so a muscle strain is good news.

In other news:

• Daniel Bard will pitch in relief for Pawtucket tonight. The idea is for him to try and get an adrenalin rush. Bard seems to think that will help. He's only going to go an inning.

• Aaron Cook threw two innings in extended spring training on Saturday and on Wednesday will pitch for Lowell in a scrimmage game.

Cook said his left knee is feeling fine. He pulled down his sock and all that is there now is a scar. "I can pitch normally and do everything with my legs," he said. I just need to get some innings in and get my arm back to what it was."

• Cody Ross ran on the field this afternoon and took BP. Valentine said he looked good enough to be in the lineup. He seems to be very close to a rehab assignment.

"Everything is great with my foot," Ross said. "I'm going pretty much everything and it feels great."

• Carl Crawford is throwing from 40 feet and will graduate to 75 feet on Tuesday. He will go to Fort Myers on Thursday to continue working out there. But he believes he is at least a week or two from getting in games. "I need to continue on the throwing program," Crawford said. "I'm only throwing a short distance right now. Little by little, my elbow is getting there."

• Jacoby Ellsbury has taken soft toss in the cage for three days now but has yet to hit on the field.

Here what he said this afternoon:

Question: "Jacoby, do you know when you're going to hit on the field?"